Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:
It is the time of year when I start to see lots of skin issues. One of those is Pyotraumatic Dermatitis or Hot Spot. A hot spot is an area of the skin that is inflamed and excoriated. The hair is often missing in the center and all the hair around the lesion is caked together with moist, smelly crusts. It is extremely uncomfortable for the dog and smelling the odor is not pleasant for you. Why do hot spots … Read more
Does your dog seem to always have his face in people’s crotches? Embarrassing, isn’t it? Well, don’t be too embarrassed. Dogs see the world with a different sense than we do. In addition to sight and sound, they depend on their sense of smell dramatically more than humans. When they approach you in this way, they are not just being a “space invader”. They are trying to gain information about the person through a scent inspection. To a dog, the … Read more
Fever is defined as a body temperature above the range that is considered normal for a healthy animal. Time and experience have shown us what these ranges are and we know that fever is one of the body’s signs that it is dealing with an infection. It is important for dog caregivers to be able to recognize signs that their dog might have a fever and be fighting an infection so that they know when to seek help from their … Read more
This question is much more complicated than it may seem. First, let’s look at rabies as a disease. Anyone that watched Ole Yeller already has an idea what the disease known as rabies is like and in this case, movie magic did not really over-dramatize it. Rabies is a neurologic (attacking the nervous system) disease caused by a virus. A rabies patient will suffer and die a horrific death and even worse, rabies is zoonotic (a disease that can be … Read more
We all know how important it is to keep our dog’s nails trimmed. It helps save our floors and sometimes, our skin and it is also good for the dog too. Nails can grow too long and curl back into a dog’s skin and be uncomfortable. In a wild state, the dogs might be able to wear them down, but in our living rooms, they need a little help from us. The dewclaws on the side of the legs do … Read more
Everyone wants a magic bullet or something that will, in one fell swoop, stop aging or prolong life. As of yet, there is no one easy solution to all that ails us, but there are certain things when administered thoughtfully with professional advice may have some benefit. Probiotics may be one of these items. Probiotics (literally “in favor of life”) are living organisms intentionally introduced to provide a beneficial effect. As far back as 1910, an early scientist named Elie … Read more
Summer is fun. The days are long and when school is out, everything seems to relax a little. Maybe it’s because people travel more or engage in their hobbies more. Folks go camping and hiking, boating or water skiing and many times, dogs are part of the fun. But what about summer might pose a risk to your dog, other then the usual threats, like snakes, heat, and bugs? Here are some summer risks that you might not have thought … Read more
We are aware of the dangers of sun exposure for ourselves and we hear frequently about skin cancers and the damaging effects of sun for people. The ultraviolet light radiation present in the light from the sun is the cause of the skin damage. Most of us have probably even experienced painful sunburn, so we would like to protect our dogs as much as we can. Sunscreen is recommended for humans to reduce the harmful effects, but what about for … Read more
Everyone thinks play is fun, but did you know that play can actually change your brain for the better? It seems to be true for people and many other animals, especially dogs. We prioritize play for our human children and we should, because research indicates that children are better adjusted and happier if they have free play. Would it not stand to reason that play might also benefit our dogs? Dogs are not human and we know it. They cannot … Read more
We know that dogs have ears and in fact, the ears are sometimes the cutest part of their whole head. Some dogs have darling curly and fluffy ears. Some dogs’ ears stand up and some dogs even have one that stands and the other that flops over! Let’s face it, dogs’ ears are really endearing (hehe). But they serve an important purpose for our dogs and there are some things that all dog lovers really need to know. 1. Normal … Read more
Bugs are a summer bummer. Your dog thinks so too. While it’s not pleasant to think about, bugs are a natural part of the season. But the more you know about hazards to your dog’s health, the better you can act if a situation arises. Plus, you can take preventative measures so you may not have to deal with these pests in the first place! Here’s what you need to know about the bugs that cause problems for dogs, and what you can … Read more
Many things can cause redness and irritation of the eye. Most dog lovers want to know how to decide when to seek professional help and what is an emergency. Corneal injury is something that will require veterinary assistance and needs to be handled quickly. The cornea is very thin, and injuries can quickly penetrate it and rupture the globe of the eye, causing irreparable harm. If your dog seems to be in pain and squints his eye, your vet can … Read more
As our society ages and Baby Boomers reach their senior years, everyone is more likely to be touched by Alzheimer’s disease. It seems like everyone knows someone who has been affected by this diagnosis, whether it is a friend or a family member or just someone they know. According to alz.org, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia affect 1 in 3 human seniors. Our dogs age faster than we do and many people with senior dogs wonder if their dogs can … Read more
Some dogs do not like children. Some are even afraid of them We adults know that children are harmless, but your dog may not be so sure. For a dog that has not been raised around children, they can seem loud and sporadic. A child’s wail can even trigger a fear or prey response for a dog. A child’s size, sounds, and movements may seem foreign or threatening to a dog. To get to the bottom of this behavior, we … Read more
Some dogs chase cars. We all know it is a dangerous habit, and we probably all have our theories as to why they do it. Have you noticed that it seems to be even worse for dogs that are tied or in a fence? Some dogs are selected by generations of breeding to be herding dogs. It is in their DNA to try to guide their targets in a desired direction. People have chosen to breed dogs that are strong … Read more
Parasite products are not created equal, but if you don’t know to ask the right questions, you might assume you are getting something that you are not. Very often in my hospital, clients come in with over-the-counter flea products that they are not happy with and even some of the ones I sell can be a poor fit if the expectations are mismatched. It is important that pet owners know the ways that these products work and how they can … Read more
You may have noticed that your dog keeps his eyes on you while he is defecating. It is not because he is embarrassed. He is not wishing you would look away or give him privacy while he “does his business”. It goes much deeper than that. Dogs are animals and they are very tuned in to their environment and their own place in it. For survival, they must be aware of the risk. Defecation is one of the times in … Read more
Lots of dogs eat grass, but why do they do it? Sometimes they eat and swallow it while other times they seem to just grab and spit it out or chew and spit it out. No one knows for sure exactly why dogs snack on grass, but there are some theories. So, here are some explanations on why your dog might be eating grass. 5 Potential Reasons for Why Dogs Eat Grass: THEORY #1 – Your Dog Feels Ill It … Read more
How Do I Pick A Good Dog Food? You know what they say assuming does, right? Sadly, I think, in some cases, it is true. One might think that it was safe to assume that dog food labels represent what they contain. One may also think the ingredients are listed in descending order from the most important down. I used to think that I could make decisions about my dogs’ nutrition based on the food labels because I felt comfortable … Read more
iHeartDogs is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. No one can deny that dogs love to eat. They eat what we feed them and anything else that they can find that seems edible to them. Dogs can eat items that we all consider food items and then they eat things that we do not consider food items (but they do) like cat poop, their own … Read more
We see memes on the internet that seem amusing, like dogs looking frightened in cars and captions about going to the vet, but really, since the vet is your first line of defense to protect your dog, it is much better for everyone if your dog likes going to the vet. You might be thinking that you can’t blame your dog because there are injections and samples of all kinds, but if you and your vet work together as a … Read more
Many people can seamlessly add a new dog to their family. Others have dogs that flourish in a single-pet environment. Each dog is an individual, but there are certain breed-associated characteristics that can affect how they relate to one another. Having been selectively bred for these characteristics over multiple generations, some breeds are more dog-friendly than others. As with humans, canine personalities tend to be the result of nature and nurture. If you are considering adding a dog to your … Read more
Pet insurance is not like human health insurance. It is designed to give you peace of mind by helping you prepare for the costs of large medical issues. Subscribers pay a monthly premium (prices vary depending on plan and company) instead of being surprised by a major illness or injury. It is like a safety net to catch you when you fall. It is certainly nice to have in an event where price is the last thing that you want … Read more
Got a puppy? Wonder just when he is going to stop growing? It’s a common question that veterinarians receive. When people adopt dogs from shelters and rescues as puppies, they usually do not know what breeds make up the dog. (the fact is, no one can guess with good accuracy either, see Think You Know A Pit Bull When You See it, So Did We….) People like to plan and even though it usually doesn’t matter because they already love … Read more
Anyone who cuddles a dog knows that sometimes there are unpleasant aromas associated with them. We are all familiar with the terms “dog breath” and “smell like a dog.” Not all smells will be helped by bathing. Some of them come from actual health issues and it is important to know the difference because one needs a bath (or 3) and the others will require medical intervention. Odors that will respond to bathing are things like rolling in stinky stuff … Read more
Ticks are creepy and crawly and look enough like spiders to make me and my staff cringe. They are not just repulsive, they also carry some pretty serious diseases. That’s why we should have all pets on a tick control product that helps prevent an infestation. But even the best protected dog can get an occasional tick. If you find one, you should remove it quickly because the longer a tick remains attached to the skin, the greater the chances … Read more
All dogs need to be cleaned sometimes, and some more than others! Because humans bathe frequently and take good hygiene for granted, we may think that baths are not particularly important or difficult, but there are some things that you should know when it comes to canine cleansing. 1. All shampoos are not created equal. Consumer advocates have published blog posts that declare that the human shampoo market is just a scam and that all shampoos are the same. It … Read more
Recent headlines about the threat of Zika virus have hit the news and social media. Scary stories about people getting sick have caught people’s attention. Even though it is in the headlines now, Zika virus is not new. It has been found in monkeys and apes since the 1940s. Usually disease in nonhuman primates is mild with only a transient fever, but the humans affected by Zika virus are much more significantly affected. Since the discussion has included monkeys and apes, … Read more
At some point during your Boxer’s life, he/she will need some type of surgery. Because of Boxers’ genetic predisposition to skin tumors, your dog will likely require more than one mass removal during his/her adulthood. There may be other times that your Boxer needs surgery. If it is not an emergency, one can question if the procedure is worth the risk. But just how risky is anesthesia for Boxers? The definition of anesthesia is a temporary loss of feeling or … Read more
Chihuahuas are popular pets the world over. What’s not to love? They are super cute, fun, portable friends! Chihuahuas have their own unique personalities and as a breed they have some unique qualities too. If you love a Chihuahua, there are some important things you can do to make sure your furry friend lives long and well. Hack #1 – Cover Me with Love: Personal Protection Equipment Some of us are familiar with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is required … Read more
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